Yesterday at the TV critics’ press tour, CBS held a session on the Emmy Awards, trying to explain/justify the format changes designed to ensure that broadcast-network shows (as opposed to cable) get more attention and, hopefully, awards. The awards added nominee slots and revamped the nomination process to create more opportunities for broadcast shows; and it’s pre-taping some awards like drama writing, which cable shows dominate because of the totally unfair fact that they are better written.
Emmy executive producer Don Mischer argued that the changes were needed to recognize shows that more people watch, not “narrow” shows like Mad Men that critics (and apparently Emmy voters) like. Because nothing turns an L.A. TV executive into a Middle American populist like the prospect of getting embarrassed by the competition at an awards show.
Sigh. I don’t want to take the bait and write a giant rant, and Mo Ryan has already done it beautifully anyway. So let me keep it short. If you want to hold an awards show for the best-quality shows, that is fine. If you want to hold an awards show to promote the most popular shows, that is also fine.
But if you want to hold an awards show for the most popular shows—i.e., the shows your own networks make money off of—but pretend that they are being honored because they are the best shows, that is some B.S.
OK, I’m done.